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Published:
Significance: a guide to assessing cultural collections, third edition (Significance) helps individuals and organisations to identify and understand the significance of cultural items and collections, and to explain how and why they are important.
It provides a consistent and practical method for understanding the meanings and values of items and collections. The guide can support decisions about acquiring, conserving, interpreting, accessing, digitising, funding and prioritising collection items.
You can download Significance now, or visit the webpage for more information.
- Significance: a guide to assessing cultural collections—Third edition—November 2026—PDF (PDF, 82.64 MB)
- Significance: a guide to assessing cultural collections—Third edition—November 2026—DOCX (DOCX, 19.72 MB)
One-page summary
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Funding programs
Latest news
Sharing the National Collection hits 2 million visitor milestone
The Sharing the National Collection program enables galleries around the country to borrow works from the national collection for long-term display.
Exhibitions from our National Collecting Institutions set to tour across Australia
The latest round of the National Collecting Institutions Touring and Outreach (NCITO) program is providing $1 million to bring exhibitions of cultural material to Australian communities.
Visions of Australia brings new exhibitions to the regions
Ten new exhibitions will hit the road thanks to $1.4 million provided through the latest Visions of Australia program funding round.
Piece of history returned to Country
A 19th century Aboriginal ancestral breastplate has been returned to Country, entrusted by the community to be held at the Jervis Bay Maritime Museum.
Have your say
A new National Cultural Policy
Between 23 March 2026 and 24 May 2026, Australians were invited to share their views and help guide the next National Cultural Policy. Public submissions are being uploaded to this page as they're being reviewed by us. Read the public submissions.
Arts and Screen Employment Pathways Pilot Program
We invited feedback on the development of the new Arts and Screen Employment Pathways Pilot Program to support d/Deaf and disabled artists and arts workers. This consultation is closed.
Review of the Indigenous Art Code
A review of the Indigenous Art Code to strengthen the protections for Indigenous artists and consumers across the country. This consultation is closed.
Revive: a place for every story, a story for every place
After extensive national consultation, in 2023 we delivered a 5 year national cultural policy, Revive—A place for everyone story, a story for every place.
Latest consultations
Funding programs
What's new
Getting the band together, but who pays their super?
Updated advice from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) on who pays super to workers in the music industry.
A new page for Lending Rights
New legislation for the Lending Rights schemes commenced on 1 October 2026.
Sharing the National Collection hits 2 million visitor milestone
The Sharing the National Collection program enables galleries around the country to borrow works from the national collection for long-term display.
Australia's cultural and creative activity continues to grow
New figures show cultural and creative activity contributed $70.3 billion to Australia's economy in 2024–25.
Support programs
Displaying 11 - 20 of 274
100-year-old steam engines return to Tasmania
A pair of Fowler Ploughing Steam Traction Engines, Type Z7 named ‘The Lion’ and ‘The Lioness’ have been acquired by Pearn’s Steam World Museum in Westbury, Tasmania.
First Nations expressions of interest open for Equity Advisory Group
Expressions of interest are open to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who are d/Deaf or disabled and who have experience in the arts and cultural sectors.
Exhibitions from our National Collecting Institutions set to tour across Australia
The latest round of the National Collecting Institutions Touring and Outreach (NCITO) program is providing $1 million to bring exhibitions of cultural material to Australian communities.
Funding boost for regional and remote festival projects
The latest Festivals Australia funding round provides more than $730,000 across 25 regional and remote festival projects.
Visions of Australia brings new exhibitions to the regions
Ten new exhibitions will hit the road thanks to $1.4 million provided through the latest Visions of Australia program funding round.
Over $360,000 to support artists to shine internationally
Three new grants will enable Australian talent to perform abroad and showcase their artistry.
Ancient ceramic vase returned to Italy
The Australian Government has returned a culturally significant object to the Government of the Italian Republic.
Australian storytellers receive annual Lending Rights payments
$28.7 million has been paid to Australian creators and publishers through the Public and Educational Lending Rights Schemes.
Piece of history returned to Country
A 19th century Aboriginal ancestral breastplate has been returned to Country, entrusted by the community to be held at the Jervis Bay Maritime Museum.
Support programs
Funding programs
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Support programs
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Live Music Australia grant recipients—Round 1—2020
Published: 14 Dec 2020 The Live Music Australia program, administered by the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications, is a competitive grants opportunity for small to medium sized venues that support quality …
PublicationRicky Stanicky an investment in Australian screen jobs and talent
The new comedy feature film is set to shoot down under with $9.5 million in support from the Location Incentive. 1 Feb 2023 Production of Ricky Stanicky is the latest boost to our local screen sector, with 410 Australian screen jobs to be created when …
NewsFact sheet—international repatriation
Published: 20 Nov 2024 The Australian Government maintains its ongoing support of the voluntary and unconditional repatriation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ancestors held with overseas collecting institutions and with private holders. …
PublicationFrequently asked questions and answers—international repatriation
Published: 20 Nov 2024 Find out more about the international repatriation of ancestors from overseas collecting institutions and private holders. …
PublicationProject grants—national recipients list, round 2, 2020
Published: 27 Nov 2020 Project grants—national recipients list, round 2, 2020—November 2020 project-grants-national-recipients-list-round2-2020.docx (DOCX, 168.54 KB) project-grants-national-recipients-list-round2-2020.pdf (PDF, 320.89 …
PublicationNational Resting Place Consultation Report 2014
Published: 23 Aug 2016 2014 National Resting Place Consultation report to the Australian Government. National Resting Place Consultation Report 2014—DOCX (DOCX, 1.16 MB) National Resting Place Consultation Report 2014—PDF (PDF, 657.01 …
PublicationMeasuring the economic value of cultural and creative industries—Statistics Working Group of the Meeting of Cultural Ministers
Published: 13 Aug 2021 This paper examines reports that measured the economic value of the cultural and creative industries, compares their varying scoping and methodologies and makes recommendations for the consideration of the Meeting of Cultural …
PublicationCommunique – 13 November 2020
Published: 16 Nov 2020 meeting-of-cultural-ministers-communique-13-november-2020.pdf (PDF, 171.79 KB) meeting-of-cultural-ministers-communique-13-november-2020.docx (DOCX, 37.73 …
PublicationPublic Lending Right Committee—Annual Report 2019–20
Published: 26 Oct 2020 public-lending-right-committee-annual-report-2019-20.docx (DOCX, 225.8 KB) public-lending-right-committee-annual-report-2019-20.pdf (PDF, 695.15 …
PublicationIndigenous visual arts industry support program guidelines
Published: 29 Aug 2016 indigenous-visual-arts-industry-support-program-guidelines_2.docx (DOCX, 54.78 KB) -indigenous-visual-arts-industry-support-program-guidelines_0.pdf (PDF, 2.59 …
PublicationFunding and support program archive
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